Jubilee - live: Platinum Party at the Palace begins with surprise sketch of the Queen and Paddington

To conclude this weekend’s festivities, a Platinum Jubilee Pageant is taking place today in celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign.

The pageant comprises four acts to tell the story of the Queen’s reign and the UK’s changing social landscape.

More than 10,000 people from across the Commonwealth are involved in the pageant, including the military, more than 6,000 volunteers, performers, key workers, and 2,500 members of the general public.

The show will feature performances from Ed Sheeran, Sir Cliff Richard and Dame Shirley Bassey and will be aired from 1pm on BBC One.

Kate Ng has more details.

From royal weddings, war victory celebrations to Prince Louis covering his ears at the sound of the RAF fly-past, the Buckingham Palace balcony has acted as a precious connection to the royal family.

“This is the monarchy at their most visible,” says Professor Pauline MacLaren from the University of London’s Centre for the Study of Modern Monarchy. “But it is also them at their most strategic. Time and again down the years, they have used appearances there – with considerable shrewdness, it has to be said – to emphasise and maintain their place at the heart of the nation.”

Colin Drury collates the most iconic moments from the Buckingham Palace balcony here.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed champagne, canapés and cut a celebratory cake at a Big Jubilee Lunch in Oval, south London today.

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall attended the large event at the Oval Cricket Ground, where they chatted with party-goers celebrating the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

They shared cheers with attendees and cut a large cake in one of many celebrations taking part across the UK today.

It is estimated that at least 10 million people have taken part in the Big Jubilee Lunch.

The BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace has become the most-watched TV event of the year so far as it welcomed 13.3 million viewers at its peak.

The star-studded show outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday featured performances from Diana Ross, Queen with Adam Lambert and Duran Duran.

The event claimed a 74 per cent share of TV viewers on Saturday evening and the audiences favourite moment included the Queen sharing tea with Paddington Bear and tapping her spoon along to “We Will Rock You” by Queen.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are attending a Big Jubilee Lunch in Westminster, London this afternoon.

The event was organised by Westminster council for local community groups and volunteers who had assisted during the Covid-19 pandemic at Paddington Recreation Grounds.

The princesses have been meeting with attendees, bowling and trying their hand at plate-spinning at the jubilee celebration.

Big Jubilee Lunches have been taking place up and down the country today, with an estimated 10 million people taking part in street parties, BBQs and other community celebrations for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

In London, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are attending an event in Kennington while Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are visiting party-goers in Westminster.

In other parts of the country, thousands attended a street party along The Long Walk in Windsor and people danced and enjoyed afternoon tea in Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom.

Preparations for this afternoon’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant are underway as the final event for the Queen’s jubilee approaches.

Performers and participants are adding the final touches to their displays as crowds gather ahead of the show’s 2.30pm start time.

The pageant comprises of four acts that will tell the story of the Queen’s 70-year reign and the UK’s changing social landscape. It will involve more than 10,000 people from across the Commonwealth - including the military, more than 6,000 volunteers, performers, key workers, and 2,500 members of the general public.

The show will feature performances from Ed Sheeran, Sir Cliff Richard and Dame Shirley Bassey and will be aired from 1pm on BBC One.

Daleks from TV show Doctor Who will be amongst the participants at this afternoon’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London.

The sci-fi show villains will be in the company of more than 10,000 people in today’s pageant which is set to kick off at 2.30pm.

Crowds have flocked to the capital in anticipation of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, which will conclude the four-day weekend.

The Queen, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not expected to attend the Platinum Jubilee Pageant this afternoon.

According to royal commentator Omid Scobie, most senior members of the royal family will attend.

The public can expect to see the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Princess Beatrice and Eugenie are also set to attend, alongside their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank.

Some of the Queen’s great grandchildren will also be present, Scobie said.